Tuesday, October 01, 2013

Hourglass, or Spools

[ Late edition -- The general consensus for this block name is Hourglass, and some call it Spools.  Thanks everyone!]

Here is my current project - blocks are made from my box of 2 1/2 inch strips.  Several of the blocks were too light - they will be labels.  As is my style, I just started sewing the strips together, very light and whatever dark was in the box, not knowing where I was heading.  In the end I put the darker blocks near the edge, lighter in the middle.  It goes fast.  They are set diagonally, and I used a Side Setting ruler to cut the corner and SS triangles.  I actually have enough of one fabric to do all the side setting and corner triangles.  I've seen other examples where all the values are similar and they seem most appealing to me.  The first 3 upper left diagonal rows are sewn together.  Wouldn't this be great in Crayon colors?

Do you know the name of the block?

If you are not sure how this goes together, sew a Width of Fabric light (2.5 inch) and a dark strip (2.5 inch) together, press to dark.  Use your Companion Angle and lay the 2 1/4 line on that seam and cut.  I put a bit of blue tape on the 2 1/4 in. line.  Then reverse the ruler and cut the next, ALWAYS keeping that 2 1/4 line on the seam.  This will guarantee a good match when you sew them together.  Sew gently, as the units have bias edges.  I pieced a few of the blocks from shorter strips.  You can get 8 triangles per strip to make 2 blocks.   You cannot get enough for a block from a half strip - you need 42-44 inches.

Never wanting to leave things alone, I really want to see the results if all the triangles were mixed up with other, non-matching triangles?

It appears that this is our last week of lovely weather.  This view of 2 weeks ago
was so astonishing I gasped at it's beauty!

Time to get out the snow shovel and have it ready!

8 comments:

  1. Fabulous rainbow picture! And happy belated birthday,too!
    I'm not sure but Missouri Star Quilt Company did a video on "Summer In The Park" that I think was similar to yours. Whatever you call it, it looks great!

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  2. Great progress Elaine. I like the diagonal setting. See, you just needed a few more blocks.

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  3. I don't know the name of the block, but I like the look of it.
    We've had several double rainbows this summer--surprising, since we've had so little rain. They are gorgeous!

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  4. I kind of think that block is called the hourglass.

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  5. I agree with Mary - I've heard that block called the hourglass. Yours is fabulous, Elaine.

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  6. I have seen it called Hidden Spools or just plain old Spools. I call yours gorgeous.

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  7. It looks like a spool block to me but I've never seen the "thread" part of the block pieced like this. Interesting. Your blocks are wonderful!!!

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  8. I've also heard of that block as "spools." It's very pretty!

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